1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classifcation

1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification:
The 1855 classification came about when the Emperor Napoleon III requested a way of presenting the very best of France’s Bordeaux wines for display in the Exposition Universelle de Paris. This grand exhibition was intended to show off the very best of what France had to offer in an attempt to rival the exhibitions held in England, such as the Crystal Palace of 1851.

The classification consists of first to fifth growths (or crus). All of the red wines on the list came from the Medoc region with the exception of Chateau Haut-Brion from Graves. White wines were considered much less important at the time and only the sweet varieties of Sauternes and Barsac were evaluated from first great growth to second. His brokers used both the reputation of the chateau in question and the trading price of its produce which, at the time, was more strongly linked to quality.

Although intended for a single display the 1855 classification has remained in place despite vast changes in the layout and ownership of the various winemaking estates. Only two changes have been made since 1855 – firstly in 1856 when Chateau Cantermerle was added as a fifth growth and, more controversially, the elevation of Chateau Mouton Rothschild from a second to first growth after intense lobbying by the owner Philippe de Rothschild.

Most critics today regard the classification as altogether outdated given the sheer amount of time that has passed and the amount of change the region has undergone.

Premiers Crus (First Growths)
• Chateau Lafite-Rothschild
• Chateau Latour
• Chateau Mouton-Rothschild
• Chateau Margaux
• Chateau Haut-Brion

Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths)
• Chateau Pichon-Baron
• Chateau Pichon-Lalande
• Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou
• Chateau Gruaud-Larose
• Chateau Léoville-Las Cases
• Chateau Léoville-Barton
• Chateau Léoville-Poyferré
• Chateau Cos d'Estournel
• Chateau Montrose
• Chateau Brane-Cantenac
• Chateau Durfort-Vivens
• Chateau Lascombes
• Chateau Rauzan-Ségla
• Chateau Rauzan-Gassies

Troisièmes Crus (Third Growths)
• Chateau Lagrange
• Chateau Langoa-Barton
• Chateau Boyd-Cantenac
• Chateau Cantenac-Brown
• Chateau Desmirail
• Chateau Ferrière
• Chateau Giscours
• Chateau d'Issan
• Chateau Kirwan
• Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry
• Chateau Marquis d'Alesme Becker
• Chateau Palmer
• Chateau Calon-Ségur
• Chateau La Lagune

Quatrièmes Crus (Fourth Growths)
• Chateau Duhart-Milon
• Chateau Marquis-de-Terme
• Chateau Pouget
• Chateau Prieuré-Lichine
• Chateau Beychevelle
• Chateau Branaire-Ducru
• Chateau St Pierre
• Chateau Talbot
• Chateau Lafon Rochet
• Chateau La Tour Carnet

Cinquièmes Crus (Fifth Growths)
• Chateau d'Armailhac
• Chateau Batailley
• Chateau Clerc-Milon
• Chateau Croizet-Bages
• Chateau Grand-Puy-Ducasse
• Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste
• Chateau Haut-Bages-Libéral
• Chateau Haut-Batailley
• Chateau Lynch-Bages
• Chateau Lynch-Moussas
• Chateau Pédesclaux
• Chateau Pontet-Canet
• Chateau Dauzac
• Chateau du Tertre
• Chateau Cos-Labory
• Chateau Belgrave
• Chateau Camensac
• Chateau Cantemerle